SNACKING TIPS

Snacks can help children get the nutrients needed to grow.  Snacks should try to include 2 different food groups. Older children can learn healthy habits by making their own snacks with healthy food options in the kitchen.  The USDA has composed a list of snack tips and tricks to help parents make snacking worthwhile and nutritious for their children.

1  SAVE TIME BY SLICING VEGGIES - Keep sliced veggies in the fridge.  This makes them more accessible and appealing to children when searching for a quick snack.

2  MIX IT UP - Have kids create their own trail mix with nuts and dried fruit.  Smoothies are also a fun way to "mix things up" put fat-free yogurt, 100% fruit juice and frozen fruit in a blender and create a tasty treat!

3  GRAB A GLASS OF MILK - Milk is loaded with vitamins and calcium.  Try drinking your snack!

4  GO FOR GREAT WHOLE GRAINS - Offer snacks high in fiber and whole grains and low in sugar and fat, such as; whole-wheat bread, popcorn, whole-oat cereals.

5  SNACK ON PROTEIN FOODS - Protein foods are great snack options, consider low-sodium nuts, peanut butter, cheese, hummas and seeds for your next snack!

6  KEEP AN EYE ON THE SIZE - Snacks aren't meant to replace a meal.  Try to keep snack size bowls and bags on hand to help teach your kids what "enough" means.  

7  FRUITS ARE QUICK AND EASY - Fresh, frozen canned or dried fruits are great options.  They require little to no prep work or mess.  Try applesauce, frozen grapes, or raisins.

8  CONSIDER CONVENIENCE - single serving containers of yogurt or string cheese are perfect to teach serving sizes, and quick and easy for on-the-go.

9  SWAP OUT THE SUGAR - Keep healthier foods on hand, kids won't snack on junk food if there isn't junk food in the cupboard.  Make healthy foods convenient and accessible.

10  PREPARE HOMEMADE GOODIES - For homemade sweets add dried fruits such as raisins, crasins or apricots to the recipe.  Lower the amount of sugar called for and substitute unsweetened applesauce for butter and shortening.

Try one of these suggestions for your next snack!

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BRINGING BREAKFAST BACK

With school back in session, mornings are quickly becoming rushed again.👎  Here are some great suggestions to recreate your idea of toast.  These great suggestions will make breakfast quick and nutritious for any hectic morning!  

CLEANING TIPS

Cleaning can be a pain, and very time consuming.  Here are some tips to make cleaning more effective and time efficient. 

Rub the rust off of your cookware with a half a lemon dipped in salt. 

Scrub your kitchen sink: Squeeze the juice out of three lemons and mix with salt until you get a paste. Drop some of the paste into the sink and gently scrub the sink with it. Rinse after scrubbing. 
Clean your microwave: Squeeze enough lemons to yield 4 tablespoons of juice. Fill a 4 cup capacity bowl with 1 cup of water and the lemon juice. Place the bowl in a microwave and turn it to a high setting. Let the mixture steam up inside of the microwave. Wipe down the microwave.
Get stains off of countertops: Pour some lemon juice on top of the stain. Wait a few minutes while the lemon juice's acid works to break down the stain. Sprinkle a bit of baking soda on top of the stain and scrub the stain away. 

Use baking soda as an effective degreaser: Sprinkle it on the grease and rub with a dry cloth. The baking soda will absorb the grease and you can now simply rinse it away. 
Keep drains flowing: Mix equal amounts baking soda and vinegar, at least a 1/2 cup of each. Pour it down your drain, let sit for a few minutes and rinse it down with a kettle of boiling water. You will prevent many common drain problems if you make this a regular part of drain maintenance. 
Loosen mineral deposits on sink faucets: Soak a paper towel in undiluted vinegar and place it on sink faucets. 
Make an all-purpose cleaner: Mix 1 cup of vinegar with 5 cups of water to make a window, eyeglass lens or surface cleaner. It won't kill bacteria though, so be sure to use a disinfectant on contaminated surfaces. 
Treat carpet spills, such as coffee or soda: Dampen a clean cloth with vinegar and dab the spot to remove excess liquid. Dampen another clean cloth with vinegar. Using cold water (never hot) and the vinegar, gently rub the spot until the stain is gone. 
Remove stains from porcelain: Rub a porcelain surface (sink, tub, commode) with cream of tartar and watch the stains disappear. 

HAPPY CLEANING! :)

AUGUST ACTIVITY CHECKLIST

Just a few more weeks of summer; checkout this August activity check list HERE for great activities and fun ideas to live up these last few days of summer break!